So a few things on this update:
1) My car is officially 1 year old. I'll call the new tyres a present for the vehicle
2) I did way more KMs than I thought I would in a year - 13,300 km to be precise
3) I still haven't fitted the dashcam to the car, I really need to get on to that
4) I need to spend some money on upgrading the stereo, even if its an amplifier upgrade
5) Fuck windscreen chips
First thing's first, anyone know of any good auto elecs in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne that they would trust to wire up the camera? I have zero inclination to do it myself, and would rather have someone who's skilled, and cares about the quality of their work, to do it.
On the topic of new tyres:
If you are on the fence about it, let me push you - get Michelin PS4S on the car as soon as possible. These are CRAZY GOOD tyres, and its obvious Hyundai know this given they're now standard fitment on the i30N Sedan. I know they're widely lauded, and I did go in a tiny bit sceptical about them - they live up to the hype.
BeNNN called it on the first page of this thread:
Also, the Pirellis are great but not compared to Michelins.
You were completely right.
Driving to Adelaide:
Drove to Adelaide and back, again. I did a little test where I reset the trip computer 100KM before hitting the SA border to test out what fuel economy is in Normal Mode (I drive with rev match on), then did another test where I did 100KM from the SA border (in to VIC, same stretch of road within a short period of time, to try and keep it relatively equal) in ECO mode. I was previously dubious that it made any significant difference, but was proven wrong according to the trip computer:
- Normal Mode for 100KM: 6.8 litres/100KM (Overall trip from MEL to ADL at around 800KM was 6.7l/100KM entirely in Normal Mode)
- ECO Mode for 100KM: 6.3 litres/100KM (as above, but entirely in ECO mode, was 6.4l/100KM)
I am genuinely surprised that ECO mode makes that much of a difference. So the side effect is that I now drive in ECO mode as my default. I miss rev match a lot though, so my driving style has changed to suit (I cant actually rev match anymore - years of rolling my ankle has severely damaged all the ligaments and created so much scar tissue that my right foot has about 30% of the mobility of my left. I need the brake pedal to be wider towards the accelerator so that my right heel can reach the accelerator, then re-learn via that method).
After a Year's ownership:
In all respects, I should have experienced significant buyer's remorse after buying this car. Shortly after purchasing it, I had an opportunity to buy a Civic Type R for a lot cheaper than it should have been (second hand though, not new). I also had the opportunity to put the money towards a house and significantly increase my deposit (still haven't bought a house mind you - also I bought the car without any finance). I still have doubts I got the absolute best possible deal (paid $45k total for the car), no doubt there was $1-3k left on the table. Additionally, reading the issues that
GazmaN has had gave me moments of pause (then I remembered my life in Darwin, and more specifically the various dealerships there).
Yet I do not have a single iota of doubt on this car. Every time I get in the car, I always enjoy driving. Its an addictive experience, to be able to drive this car in any number of ways - some conducive to losing my license. Plus that Shadow Grey is a gorgeous colour and really works for the car.
Also, putting PPF + Ceramics on this was easily the best decision I made - yes it increased my costs by $5kish, but so far my experience washing the car is much better - I spend less time washing, since it seems to repel most things from settling on the paintwork.
My servicing experience, via Essendon Hyundai, has actually been outstandingly good - they do what I ask when I ask, without any issues. I always watch the techs service the car (they have a window to the service bay), and I've never seen them do anything other than treat someone else's property with the respect it should be given. Could be cheaper, but then when are dealerships ever cheap.
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